Packaging mechanism



March 27, 1956 A. HOPTON EI'AL PACKAGING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1953 r/v VENTORS W W/A 5 WM 44 MadflaZiow March 27, 1956 A. HOPTON ETAL 2,

PACKAGING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR March 27, 1956 A. HOPTON ETAL 2,739,433

PACKAGING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 22, 1953 INVENTORS file v W WM M Mm m WToRMe-ys PACKAGING MECHANISM Alan Hopton and Alexander Russell, Yorkshire, England,

assignors to The Forgrove Machinery Company Limited, Leeds, England, a British company Application Becemher 22, 1953, Serial No. 399,758

Claims priority, application Great Britain .lanuary 26, 1953 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-20) in United States application Ser. No. 288,732, now Patent No. 2,683,520, issued July 13, 1954, we have described mechanism for automatically charging loose biscuits or the like into the feed conveyor of a wrapping machine.

It is sometimes, however, desired to assemble the biscuits or the like in open-topped trays or cartons prior to wrapping. The object of this invention is to provide mechanism for transferring in succession to such trays stacks of loose biscuits or the like from the pockets of an intermittently moving conveyor, and it is applicable whether the conveyor pockets are charged by hand or automatically.

The invention accordingly provides the combination, with a first intermittently moving conveyor, having openbottomed pockets for receiving stacks of biscuits or the like placed on edge in the pockets and serving to feed them in succession to a transfer station, of a second intermittently moving conveyor for conveying open topped trays in succession into position beneath the transfer station, grippers for engaging the ends of each stack of biscuits as it dwells at the transfer station and thereafter lowering said stack, through the bottom of the pocket accommodating it, towards the tray dwelling beneath the transfer station, a device for lifting the tray to meet the descending stack of biscuits and returning it, when filled, to the second conveyor, the grippers being arranged to release the biscuits when they are in position in the tray and thereafter to ascend to a position above the first conveyor, a removable support for supporting the stack of biscuits on its arrival at the transfer station and means for moving said support aside, when the grippers have engaged the stack, to permit of the up and down movement of the grippers.

It is desirable, in the interests of speed of operation of the mechanism, to reduce to a minimum the stroke of the relatively heavy grippers. it is for this reason that the tray is moved upwardly to meet the descending grippers, which open, at the same time ceasing to descend, as soon as the biscuits have touched the bottom of the tray. Preferably a relatively light top presser is provided, which moves downwardly in contact with the top of the stack of biscuits during its travel downwards into the tray and as the tray subsequently descends again to its initial position on the lower conveyor.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional elevation, showing the mechanism for transferring the stacks of biscuits to the trays,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a corresponding plan view, partly in section,

Fig. 4 is an elevation looking from the right hand side of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the grippers, and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI-VI in Fig. 5.

Like reference characters designate like parts throughout the figures.

Stacks 10 of loose biscuits are fed in succession to a transfer station A (Fig. l) by an intermittently moving biscuit conveyor 11 of the general character described in United States Patent No. 2,672,717. It will be sufficient here to explain that the conveyor has a series of open-bottomed feed pockets, each comprising a pusher 12 constituted by a fiat upright plate mounted on a pair of parallel chains 14 and a. similar plate 13 mounted on another pair of parallel chains 114 (Fig. 3). The chains 1%, 114 receive intermittent movement from sprockets, one of which is shown at 15 in'Fig. 1, and can be relatively adjusted, as described in United States Patent No. 2,672,717, to vary the length of the feed pockets. Side control plates 16 define the sides of the pockets. The biscuits are placed on edge in the feed pockets, with their lengthwise dimension parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyor 11, preferably by means or" the automatic feed mechanism described in United States application No. 288,732, now Patent No. 2,683,520, issued July 13, 1954. The conveyor 11 traverses the stacks of biscuits over a horizontal table 17 which supports the bases of the stacks of biscuits in the pockets.

A procession of trays 18 (Fig. 3) is fed against a fixed stop plate 19 by a continuously moving belt conveyor 20. These trays are open topped and have shallow end walls 21 (Fig. l) and deeper side walls 22. The trays 18 in contact with the stop plate are pushed in succession from the belt 20 onto a table 23 (Fig. 2) by a reciproeating pusher 24, actuated by a lever 25, pivoted on a shaft 31 and carrying a follower 26, coacting with a cam 27 on a cam shaft 28, the pusher being guided by a link 29 pivoted on a shaft 30. The trays 18 are fed in succession along the table 23, to position below the stack of biscuits at the transfer station A, by a tray conveyor constituted by fingers 32 projecting from a chain 33. The latter is mounted on sprockets 34, one of which is intermittently rotated to drive the chain 33 in timed relationship with the movement of the biscuit conveyor 11. As the trays 18 pass along the table 23 to the transfer station, their side walls 22 are spread to an open position by fixed fingers 35 (Fig. 3). It will be noted that the tray conveyor travels in a direction at right angles to that of the biscuit conveyor.

Adjoining and aligned with the table 17 in the vicinity of the transfer station A are two horizontal plates 36, 37, the edges of which are accommodated in fixed guides 38 (Fig. 2). The plate 36 is reciprocated by a link 39, connected to a lever 40 pivoted on a shaft 41 and carrying a follower 42 engaging a cam 43 on the cam shaft 28. The plate 37 is reciprocated by a link 44 connected to a lever 4-5, fixed to a shaft 46, to which is also fixed a lever 47 carrying a follower 48 engaging a cam 49 on a cam shaft 50 (see also Fig. 3). As the conveyor 11 moves a stack 10 of biscuits to the transfer station A, the plate 37 is displaced to the left from the position shown in Fig. l. The plate 36 moves to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, with the conveyor, so that the plates 36, 3'7 serve to support the stack of biscuits at the transfer station. After grippers 51 have closed, as later described, on to the stack of biscuits, the plates 36, 3'7 move aside to the positions shown in Fig. 1, so enabling the grippers to descend towards the tray 13 disposed beneath the transfer station. At the same time an elevator 52, which was initially flush with the plate 23 to close an aperture 53 in the plate 23, lifts the tray 18 to meet the grippers, a pair of fixed downwardly converging spring blades 54 entering and spreading the sides 22 of the tray. The elevator 52 is actuated by a bell crank 55, pivoted on the shaft 41 and carrying a follower 56 coacting with a cam 57 on the cam shaft 28. l

The grippers 51 consist, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, of two pairs of spaced rigid fingers 58, dis posed respectively at opposite ends of the stack of biscuits. The fingers 58 shown at the left hand side of Fig. 2 and in Figs. 5, 6 carry leaf springs 59 on their inner faces. Each pair of fingers 53 is attached to a head 60 on the end of a horizontal shaft 61 (see also Fig. 1) rotatably mounted in a bracket 67 and carrying at its other end an arm 62 (Fig. 4). The arms 62 carry rollers 63, coacting with sloping faces 64 of a cam plate 65. Springs 66 (Fig. l) urge the fingers 58 inwards to grip the ends of the stack of biscuits. Opening and closing of the grippers is controlled by the cam plate 65.

Reciprocating movement of the grippers is effected as follows: The brackets 67 are carried on vertical rods 68 (Fig. 4), mounted to slide up and down in the machine framework. Attached to the brackets 67 are downwardly depending arms 69, carrying followers 7% coacting with earns 71 on the cam shaft 50, which serve to raise and lower the grippers. The cam plate 65 is mounted on a vertically slidable rod 72, and is reciprocated vertically by a rod 73, connected at its lower end to a lever 74 (Fig. l) pivoted on a shaft 75 and carrying a follower 76 coacting with a cam 77 on the shaft 5t).

When the stack of biscuits reaches the transfer station, the rollers 63 (Fig. 4) are in contact with the upper ends of faces 64 of the cam plate 65, so that the gripper fingers are held open to permit of the passage of the biscuits between them. The cam plate 65 ascends slightly and the rollers 63 riding on the faces 64 allow the fingers 58 to close on the ends of the stack of biscuits, gripping the biscuits with yielding pressure due to the provision of the springs 59. After the plates 36, 37 have moved aside, the grippers and cam plate descend together, the grippers remaining closed until the biscuits have been deposited in the tray 18. When the biscuits have safely entered the tray the downward movement of the grippers ceases and further slight downward movement of cam plate 65 causes the fingers 53 to move outwardly away from the stack. The lower ends of the fingers 58 grip the biscuits at a level above the tops of the ends 21 of the tray, which do not impede the movement of the fingers. The grippers and cam plate 65 then ascend together and the cycle of operations is in due course repeated on the next stack of biscuits.

A top presser 78, the ends of which project between the fingers 58, has on its undersurface a cushioning layer 79 of rubber (Figs. 5 and 6). The top presser 78 is reciprocated by a lever 80 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 81 to the machine framework and its movement is controlled by a link 82. The lever 80 is periodically rocked, to reciprocate the top presser 78, by a rod 83, attached at its lower end to an arm 84 pivoted on the shaft 75 and carrying a follower 85 coasting with a cam 86 on the shaft 50. The top presser descends with the grippers and maintains pressure on the top of the stack of biscuits during their transfer into the tray. After the grippers have opened, as described above, the elevator 52 descends to return the tray to its original level, the top presser 78 descends with it and thereafter returns to its top position. The plate 37 then returns to its closed position.

The fingers 32 on the conveyor chain 33 then move the filled tray into position opposite a pusher 87. During the next period of dwell of the fingers 32, the pusher 87 pushes the filled tray back on to the conveyor belt 2% (see Fig. 3), which carries the filled tray forward to a wrapping mechanism. The pusher 87 is mounted to slide in a guide (not shown) and is actuated by a lever 88, fixed to the shaft 75, which in turn carries an arm 89, provided with a follower 90 coacting with a cam 91 on the shaft 50.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination, with a first intermittently moving conveyor, having open-bottomed pocketc for receiving stacks of biscuits or the like placed on edge in the pockets and serving to feed them in succession to a transfer station, of a second intermittently moving conveyor for conveying open topped trays in succession into position beneath the transfer station, grippers for engaging the ends of each stack of biscuits as it dwells at the transfer station and thereafter lowering said stack, through the bottom of the pocket accommodating it, towards the tray dwelling beneath the transfer station, a device for lifting the tray to meet the descending stack of biscuits and returning it, when filled, to the second conveyor, the grippers being arranged to release the biscuits when they are in position in the tray and thereafter to ascend to a position above the first conveyor, a removable support for supporting the stack of biscuits on its arrival at the transfer station and means for moving said support aside, when the grippers have engaged the stack, to permit of the up and down movement of the grippers.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the lifting device is an elevator, aligned with a table when in its down position, and the second conveyor comprises fingers arranged to sweep the trays in succession along the table and onto the elevator.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a reciprocating top presser and means for moving said top presser down to exert pressure on the top of each stack of biscuits during the downward travel of said stack into the tray and dining the subsequent downward travel of the tray and thereafter raising said top presser to a position above said first conveyor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grippers comprise a pair of horizontal shafts, fingers mounted on said shafts, springs urging said fingers to position to grip the opposite ends of the stacks of biscuits, and rollers carried by said shafts, and comprising a cam plate coacting with said rollers to control the opening and closing of the grippers and cams for respectively imparting vertical reciprocation to said shafts and to said cam plate.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grippers comprise a pair of horizontal shafts, a pair of spaced fingers mounted on each of said shafts, springs urging said fingers to position to grip the opposite ends of the stacks of biscuits, and rollers carried by said shafts, and comprising a cam plate coacting with said rollers to control the opening and closing of the grippers and earns for respectively imparting vertical reciprocation to said shafts and to said cam plate.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grippers comprise a pair of horizontal shafts, a pair of spaced fingers mounted on each of said shafts, leaf springs fitted to the inner faces of one of said pairs of fingers, further springs urging said pairs of fingers to position to grip the opposite ends of the stacks of biscuits, and rollers carried by said shafts, and comprising a cam plate coacting with said rollers to control the opening and closing of the grippers and cams for respectively imparting vertical reciprocation to said shafts and to said cam plate.

7. The combination, with a first intermittently moving conveyor, having open-bottomed pockets for receiving stacks of biscuits or the like placed on edge in the pockets and serving to feed them in succession to a transfer station, of a second intermittently moving conveyor for conveying open topped trays in succession into position beneath the transfer station, a continuously operating conveyor for feeding a procession of trays against a stop plate, a reciprocating pusher for pushing successive trays contacting the stop plate on to said second intermittently moving conveyor, grippers for engaging the ends of each stack of biscuits as it dwells at the transfer station and thereafter lowering said stack, through the bottom of the pocket accommodating it, towards the tray dwelling beneath the transfer station, a device for lifting the tray to meet the descending stack of biscuits and returning it, when filled, to the second conveyor, the grippers being arranged to release the biscuits when they are in position in the tray and thereafter to ascend to a position above the first conveyor, a removable support for supporting the stack of biscuits on its arrival at the transfer station, means for moving said support aside when the grippers have engaged the stack, to permit of the up and down movement of the grippers, and another reciprocating pusher for pushing the filled trays off said second intermittently moving conveyor and back on to said continuously operating conveyor.

8. The combination, with a first intermittently moving conveyor, having open-bottomed pockets for receiving stacks of biscuits or the like placed on edge in the pockets and serving to feed them in succession to a transfer station, of a second intermittently moving conveyor travelling in a direction at right angles to that of said first conveyor for conveying open topped trays in succession into position beneath the transfer station, grippers for engaging the ends of each stack of biscuits as it dwells at the transfer station and thereafter lowering said stack,

through the bottom of the pocket accommodating it, towards the tray dwelling beneath the transfer station, a device for lifting the tray to meet the descending stack of biscuits and returning it, when filled, to the second conveyor, the grippers being arranged to release the biscuits when they are in position in the tray and thereafter to ascend to a position above the first conveyor, a removable support for supporting the stack of biscuits on its arrival at the transfer station and means for moving said support aside, when the grippers have engaged the stack, to permit of the up and down movement of the grippers.

Madsen Nov. 18, 1947 Birch Jan. 19, 1954 

